Hydrocarbon conversion apparatus



Sept-13, 1 E. v. BERGSTROM HYDROCARBQN CONVERSION APPARATUS Filed May 7 1951 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Eh? k'fiqgisirow W kW flfiEA/T I Mum/6 VESSEZ P 1955 E. v. BERGSTROM 2,717,311

HYDROCARBON CONVERSION APPARATUS Fil ed May 7 1951 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //VLE7' BLHOES IN V EN T 0R. Erik VZqZIs/r0n BY 67/14 Vt JFFJ 'T W QW United States Patent Ofllice top of the column in the reaction zone completing the continuous path.

This process involves the use of high tempera'fiires 2,717,811 and may involve the use of high pressures. For examt 5 ple, the reaction zone may be maintained at about 800:- HYDROCARBON CONVERSION APPARATUS 1100 F., suitable cracking temperature, and the re'g'iiera Eric V. Bergstrom, Short Hills, N. J., assignor to Socony tion zone may be maintained at about 1000- 1300 Mobil Oil Company, Inc., a corporation of New York suitable regeneration temperature. The catalyst is lifted Application May 7, 1-951, serial No. 224,948 therefore at temperatures of approximately 88-1200 F., or thereabouts. 5 Claims. (Cl. 302-63) As the catalyst mateiial gi'avi'tates through the conver- This application is directed to improvements in a out the bed fora variety of reasons; For example, chain moving bed hydrocarbon conversion system which emnelling of the gas through the reactor e'auses non-uniform ploys pneumatic transfer of the particle-form solid contact deposition of carbon or coke upon the particles and non: material. It has particular relation to a method and appauniform conversion of the reactant charge. The cracking material after the solids have been lifted upward by the tained when the gas flows uniformly through the bedf lift gas through a laterally confined lift passage Channelling in the regenerator causes the overheating In the petroleum industry many processes are known of some of the particles with consequent damage and loss in which hydrocarbons at temperature and pressure suitof catalytic activity Other particles in the bed are not able for conversion, are contacted with a granular solid sulficiently regenerated to regain their former crackin material in the form of a gravitating column to produce activty In order to provide uniform gas flow and reconverted products While gravitating through the convent channelling, it is desirable to utilize catalyst parversion zone, the particles receive a deposit of carboti'cles of generally uniform size and shape although some a eeu mate ial coke on their surface The partiirregularity of size of particles is tolerable For example clcs are removed fiom the bottom of the column to a they may take the form of pellets, pills uniform granules reconditioning zone where they are contacted with a and spheres, spheres or beads being preferred. The combustion supporting gas at temperatures high enough term "granular when used in this specification refers to burn off the coke deposits. The reconditioned conbroadly to-s olid particles of the size range used in moving tact material is returned thereafter to the top of the bed c nv r n pr e Wh h r r g l r r irregular column in the conversion zone and reused. Gas lifts in size or shape. The particle size may range from have been incorporated in these systems recently to con- 3 about 3-100 mesh Tyler Screen Analysis but is preferti'nuously raise the contact particles and complete the ably 4-l0 mesh Tyler. For example, when using a gran continuous cyclic path. 7 v ular catalyst of 4-10 mesh Tyler screen size; particles Examples of various processes in this industry which smaller than 10 mesh would be classed as fines and un-' necessitate the use of granular contact material are polysuitable foruse in the process; The catalytic material merization, dehydrogenation, isomerization, alkylation, may be natural or treated clays such as bentonite, mom? hydrogenation, reforming, cyclization, desulfurization morillonite or kaolin or may take the nature of certain and catalytic cracking. This invention will be described synthetic associations of silica, alumina, silica and aluin relation to a catalytic cracking process, being undermina, with or without various additional metallic oxides; stood, however, to apply broadly to any process or opera- These materals are well known in the petroleum and retion in which a solid contact material in granular form lated arts, being produced in the form of hard refractory is lifted pneumatically and gravitated through zones in particles having enormous surface in relation to their substantially compact column form to complete an ensmall particle size. The particles have a density range closed c yclic path. For example, it may be applied to of about 20-130 pounds per cu ft, poured density That COilVrSlOIl Processes wherein hydlocalbons, P p is the density after the particles are merely poured into for conversion, are brought into contact With inert refraC a receptacle and not packed The particles may also be tory particles and converted products are r m v d th r formed of inert materials such as, for example mullite from Typical of such processes is the production of or corhart. One of the factors which causes channelling ethylene irom various gas oils at temperatures in the in these systems is the presence of particles substantially neighborhood of 1500 t smaller than the average size of the particles commingled In the moving bed system of catalyticcracking, the with the granular paiticles in the bed The dust particles particles in granular form are contacted with suitably or fines, as they are referred to in this art are caused prepared hydrocarbons while gravitating downwardly by the rubbin of the granular particles, oiie against through a ieaction zone in the form of a substantially another, as they pass through the beds Attritiomthe compact column. The feed stock usually a gas 011 b01ltechnical name for the production of fines from granular ing somewhat above the gasoline boiling range, cracks. m particles, occurs also when the granules rub against the in the presence of the hot catalyst forming substantial metal walls of the vessels, or impinge upon metal plates amounts or hydrocarbons which do boil in the gasoline or bafiles in the system or impinge upon the surface of boiling range. Coked or spent catalyst is retrieve coiithe contact beds.

tinuously from the bottom of the conversion or reaction t'r'om the surface of the catalyst The 'coke fr'ee e; i- 7U able level. This presents the difiicult problem of removgenerated catalyst is WltlldrZiWfi from the bottoiii'of the i'ng the fines continuously from the continuously moving column in the regeneration Zbn and transferred to the streams at granuiai contact material or catalyst.

Recently gas lifts have been used to raise the granular material in these conversion systems. In a preferred form, catalyst is withdrawn from the bottom of one of the columns to a feeding zone where it is contacted with a lift gas and conveyed upward through a laterally-confined lift path to a settling zone. Granular particles, and particles too small for reuse in the process, fines, are both lifted up the path by the gas and discharged from the upper end in the receiving zone. The contact material must be separated from the gas in the receiving zone and returned to the top of the other column. It is desirable to separate the particles too small for reuse in the process at this point. Hence, a purpose of this invention is to provide a removal of the gas and fines from the continuous stream of granular material or catalyst in the receiving or settling zone.

In these conversion systems, particularly the larger units, for example, cracking systems of 10,000- ,000 bbls. per stream day crude capacity, the fines production may run in the neighborhood of 1-5 tons per day. The cost of the catalyst is too high to permit the fines to be Wasted. The fines are useful for other processes or as raw material for making new contact material and hence, it is desirable to recover them from the gas withdrawn from the lift. Therefore, after the granular material has been removed, the fines must be separated from the gas. before the gas is discharged from the system. It has been suggested that the fines may be separated in separators adjacent the separating vessel, such as a series of mechanical cyclone separators, the fines accumulating in drain legs below the separators. Theoretically the fines would be withdrawn from the lower levels of the long drain legs to receptacles located at ground level. This system, however, has several disadvantages. The large separators required are exceedingly expensive. The small fines tend to pack or bridge the drain legs at various points, causing the lines to plug and the flow therethrough to be interrupted. Also, the fines become impregnated with oils or liquids which cause them to solidify in a solid mass plugging the long downcomers from the separators to the fines vessel or pot. The downcomers must be periodically flushed or vibrated to keep them functioning.

It has been found that these and other difficulties can be overcome by the method and apparatus hereinafter disclosed in detail. Essentially, the improvement involves first the elutriation of the solids in the settling vessel at the top of the gas lift to remove the gas and entrained fines from the granular material. The gas and entrained fines are then passed through a separating zone in the top of the settling zone to split the gas into two streams; the first substantially free of fines, the second containing the bulk of the fines. The gas stream containing the concentrated fines is withdrawn downwardly to another separating zone near ground level. The separated fines are gravitated from this zone downwardly through a short connecting path to a fines accumulating zone, located just below said separating zone.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved hydrocarbon conversion process and apparatus therefor.

A further object is to provide a method and apparatus for removing fines from a moving bed hydrocarbon conversion system.

A further object of this invention is to provide method and apparatus for withdrawing lift gas and fines from a gas lift used to lift granular contact material in a moving bed conversion system.

A further object is to provide method and apparatus for separating granular material from lift gas and fines, after the materials are discharged from the upper end of an upwardly directed lift pipe at a level substantially above the ground, separating most of the gas from the gas and fines at the elevated level, transferring the remaining gas and fines to near ground level, and recovering the fines from the gas.

These and other objects will be made more apparent in the following discussion of the invention, read in conjunction with the sketches, all highly diagrammatic in form, in which;

Figure l is a sketch of a moving bed hydrocarbon conversion system.

Figure 2 is a vertical view in cross section of the top of the settling vessel.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-section of the top of the settling vessel on plane 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing the relation of inlet and outlet blades in the top of the settling vessel, as seen on plane 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing the connection of the outlet duct to the settling vessel as seen on plane 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure l, a moving bed hydrocarbon conversion system is illustrated. The granular contact material is gravitated as a substantially compact column downwardly through the feed leg 10 into the top of the reactor 11, forming a column therein. An inert gas is introduced through the conduit 12 into the upper section of the reactor 11 near the bottom of the feed leg 11 to prevent combustible gases from escaping up the feed leg. The reaction vessel 11 may be operated at a pressure which is higher than that in the rest of the system, i. e., 5-30 p. s. i. (gauge), and the catalyst will feed into the vessel through the conduit 10 without valves or restrictions, provided the leg is suitably shaped and sufficiently long. The feed leg must be substantially vertical, thereby requiring a taller gas lift when the pressure differential is increased. A suitable feed leg is disclosed and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 2,410,309, which issued on October 29, 1946.

The catalyst is gravitated through the reactor 11 as a compacted column and contacted therein with hydrocarbons, suitably prepared for reaction, introduced through the conduit 13. The reactants may be in liquid, vapor or mixed liquid and vapor form, preheated, generally, to about 700400 F., although higher or lower temperature may, in certain instances, be used, depending, to some extent, upon the type of charging stock. The hydrocarbons are converted in the vessel, upon contacting the catalyst to more desirable materials and the products are removed from the vessel through the conduit 14 to fractionation and processing apparatus, not shown. The spent catalyst is withdrawn continuously from the bottom of the vessel and introduced into a depressurizer 15, usually, where the pressure is reduced practically to atmospheric. This is done, primarily, because it is simpler and more economical to regenerate or restore the contact material at substantially atmospheric pressure.

The depressurized catalyst is gravitated downwardly as a compact column through the regenerator or kiln 16 wherein it is contacted with combustion supporting gas and the coke deposits are burned. The catalyst may enter the vessel at a temperature in the neighborhood of 800900 F. and be removed therefrom at a temperature in the neighborhood of about 1000-1300 F. Temperatures much higher than the above heat damage the catalyst impairing its catalytic activity. Where only a heat carrying medium is required, however, inert refractory particles, such as corhart or mullite, may be used and restored at temperatures well in excess of the above without damage. In order to control the temperature in the kiln, cooling coils may be utilized. Air is introduced into the kiln 16 through the conduit 17 and travels both upward and downward through the bed, being withdrawn through the conduits 18, 19.

The catalyst is withdrawn from the bottom of the kiln through the conduit 20. The catalyst is depressurized, if necessary, in the vessel 26, which also provides an outlet for any lift gas which passes upwardly through the catalyst column in the conduit 22.

The lift pipe 23 may be a suitably elongated substantially vertical tube, preferably of circular cross-section, although other shapes may be utilized. The feed pot or The granular compact mass of particles around the lift pipe. A lift gas is introduced into 24 through the conduit 27 to lift the the lift pipe 23. The catalyst by changing the flow rate of material forms a lower end of the the mixing vessel particles upwardly tially compact column. lift gas may be The ample, air, flue gas, nitrogen or the catalyst.

Referring now to Figure 2, the top section of the settling vessel is shown in cross-section. The settling vessel 25 has a substantially circular horizontal cross-section.

its method of operation. bafile should be between about to the cross-section of the top end of The moving gas reverses its direction again around the skirt of the bafile, whereas the granules continue downward to the bed.

velocity in the annular passageway is sufficient to fines entrained in the gas, but not high enough to lift the granules, .or at least not high enough to reverse. the glirection of the granules and then lift them up the passageway.

An annular chamber 32 is located passageway. A multiplicity of radial above the annu ar slots are located in the floor of the chamber, substantially equally distribn the chamber. A multiphcity of flat inlet blades, having their axes rad1ally-directed,are loone on each side into the chamber The blades are projected in a generally tangential direction,

axes located substantially vertical, are

arranged one on The outlet blades are projected The inlet blades should be at an angle of about 10 to 20 degrees with the horizontal.

Most of the gas is Withdrawn through the outlet passages, and the remainder swirls around the chamber with the bulk of the fines. The duct 40 is attached to the wall of the vessel in a tangential direction and communicates with the interior of the chamber, so

as to receive the remaining gas and entrained fines.

For example,

10 per cent of the gas is passed corner with the entrained fines. Referring to Figure 1, the downcomer connects to a separating vessel 42, near This may be a small cyclone adapted to discharge fines-free gas from the made short enough plugging.

effective and complete.

The Figure 5 illustrates the circumferential attachment of the shave-off duct or One broad form of the invention comprises discharging a granular contact material and fines with lift gas from the upper end of a lift passage into a first separating zone located at a high elevation, wherein the granular particles are removed for reuse in a moving bed conversion process. The gas and entrained fines are transferred to a second separating zone, located at about the same elevation, where most of the gas is withdrawn substantially free of fines and the rest of the gas is withdrawn containing the bulk of the fines to a third separating zone, located near ground level. The fines are removed from the gas in the third separating zone and are thereby salvaged.

In another broad form of the invention, gas, granules and fines are discharged from an upwardly directed lift passage into a settling zone. The upward velocity of the gas in this zone is adjusted to effect settling of the granules on a bed of the material near the top of the passage for their subsequent reuse in a continuous moving bed conversion process. The velocity is so adjusted, however, that the fines remain in the gas and are withdrawn with the gas, providing continuous elutriation of the solids.

In a more specific form, the invention comprises a settling vessel with an upwardly directed lift pipe terminated intermediate the top and bottom of the vessel. Bafiie means is located above the lift pipe in said vessel, adapted to substantially reverse the direction of granular material, fines and gas issuing from the upper end of the pipe to the downward direction. At least one upwardly directed passageway is located in the vessel terminated at its lower end near the top of the lift pipe. The crosssection of the passageways is made about to times larger than the cross-section of the lift pipe, so that the gas makes another reversal of direction up the passageways to discharge, carrying with it the fines. The granules continue downward to a bed of the material and are withdrawn from the lower portion of the vessel for reuse in a moving bed conversion process.

Another more specific form of this invention includes a separator in the top of the settling vessel for separating for discharge most of the gas from the mixture of gas and fines. The remaining gas and fines are discharged from the separator downwardly through a downcomer to a second separator near ground level where the fines are recovered from the gas.

Other more specific forms of the invention have been disclosed in detail previously. A specific example of the invention is given hereinbelow, for illustrative purposes only.

Example A separating vessel, similar to the one shown on Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, was designed for a 3,000 bbl. per stream day moving bed cracking system. The following are the pertinent dimensions of the separating vessel and related apparatus:

Diameter of vessel Diameter of Skllt Height of skirt battle 8 ft., Diameter of skirt baflle at top 5 ft, Diameter of lift pipe 22 in, Vertical distance from bottom of skirt battle to top of lift pipe 8 in, Horizontal thickness of annular passageway between skirt battle and vertical Wall of vessel 7 in. Location of inlet blades above the lower end of the bafiie skirt 5 ft., 6 in. Number of inlet blades 40. Horizontal distance between at outside edge of blades 6 in. Pitch of inlet blades relative to horizontal 15 degrees. Length of inlet blades 8 in. Thickness of inlet blades in. Number of outlet blades 40. Height of outlet blades 2 it, 8 in Length of outlet blades 7 ,5 in Thickness of outlet blades eg in Th inner 2% discharge end of each outlet blade is bent inward to provide substantially parallel sided discharge passages.

Height of single shave-off aperture"--- Width of said shave-off aperture Diameter of downcomer from settling vessel to separator near ground level" Length of downcomer The specific example is given only as an illustration of the invention, and is not to be considered as limiting the range of the invention. It is intended that the scope of this invention be considered broadly to cover all changes and modification of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for separating granular contact material, fines and lift gas discharged at a level substantially above the ground from the top end of an upwardly directed lift pipe comprising in combination: a settling vessel attached to the upper end of the lift pipe, having a substantially larger cross-section than said lift pipe, the pipe terminated intermediate the top and bottom of the vessel, bafiie means located above said lift pipe, so as to direct the granular material, fines and gas in a downward direction, means defining at least one outlet aperture in the lower portion of the vessel, through which granular material can be removed, means defining an upwardly directed passageway in said vessel, the lower end of the passageway terminated not substantially above the top of the lift pipe, so located to substantially prevent direct transfer of the lift gas from the lift pipe to said passageway, means located in said passageway, adapted to separate gas and entrained fines passing therethrough into two streams, the first substantially free of fines, the second containing the bulk of the fines, means for withdrawing the first stream of gas from said vessel, conduit means for withdrawing the second stream of gas from said vessel downward to a level near the ground, a second separation means attached to said conduit means near ground level, and means for withdrawing separate streams of gas and fines from said second separation means.

2. Apparatus for separating granular contact material, fines and lift gas discharged from the top end of an upwardly directed lift pipe comprising in combination: a settling vessel attached to the upper end of the lift pipe, having a substantially larger cross-section than said lift pipe, the pipe terminated intermediate the top and bottom of the vessel, bafiie means located above said lift pipe, so as to direct the granular material, fines and gas in a downward direction, means defining at least one outlet aperture in the lower portion of the vessel, through which granular material can be removed, means defining an upwardly directed annular passageway in said vessel, the lower end of the passageway terminated near the top end of the lift pipe, the cross-section of the passageway being about 3 to 12 times larger than the crosssection of the lift pipe, an annular chamber within said vessel located above said annular passageway, a multiplicity of bafiles substantially equally distributed about the chamber, projected through the wall of the chamber, so as to define between each adjacent pair of battles a passage connecting the annular passageway and the chamber, the baffies directed in the chamber in a generally tangential direction, so as to effect a swirling of the gas and fines about the chamber, a second multiplicity of baffies substantially equally distributed about the chamber, projected through the wall of the chamber, so as to define between each adjacent pair of baffles a discharge passage from the chamber, the second set of bafiies directed in the chamber in the same generally tangential direction as the first set, a discharge passageway attached to said chamber, adapted to effect withdrawal of gas through the passages formed by the second set of baffles and out of the vessel, and at least one tangentially-directed discharge duct communicating with said chamber, adapted to receive the remaining gas and fines without substantial change in gas flow direction and continuously remove them from the vessel.

2 ft, 5% in. 1 ft, 1 in.

6 in. standard pipe. ft.

3. Apparatus for separating granular contact material, of said chamber, substantially equally distributed about fines and lift gas discharged at a level substantially above said wall of said chamber, a multiplicity of outlet blades, t gfeuhd from the p end Of all P rdly direct d having their axes located substantially vertical, each blade 11ft P P comprising in eembl'natl'olli a Settling Vessel being located between ad acent slots, the blades disposed attached to the upper end of the lift pipe having a sub- '5 at a angle of about 10 to 20 degrees with a tangent StalltlaHY larger efess-seetlell than Sald 11ft P p the P p connected to the circumference of an imaginary circle tefmlhated llltefmedlate the P and bottom of the Vessel, passed through their axes, and directed in the chamber bathe means located above Sald 11ft P P 50 as to direct in the same direction as the inlet blades, a receiving chamthe granular mateflfll fines and gas 111 a downward ber located in said vessel above said skirt baflle and comreetlen, means defining at least one Outlet aperture in the 10 municating with said chamber through said vertical slots, IOWel Portion of the Vessel, thIOugh Whl'eh granular means defining an outlet in the top of said vessel comterlfll 0311 be removed, means defihlhg ah upwardly municating with said receiving chamber, and a substan- Ieeted annular passageway 111 said Vessel the lower end tially horizontal discharge duct connected tangentially to e e Passageway termlhated hear the p end of the the wall of said vessel so as to communicate with the lift pipe, an annular chamber within said vessel located 15 i i of id h b through th uter wall of the above said annular passageway, a multiplicity of baffles chamber,

Substantially q y distributed radially about the 5. Apparatus for separating granular contact material, Chamber, P J through Well of ehambeh fines and lift gas discharged at a level substantially above 80 as to define betWee11' h adlaeent P of bafiles the ground from the top end of an upwardly directed lift Passage eehheetlhg the Interior of the annular P pipe, comprising in combination: a settling vessel of y and the chamber the baffles dlreeted 1n the ehambel circular horizontal cross-section, approximately concenin a generally tangential direction, so as to ff a trio with said lift pipe, havinga substantially larger crossswirling of the gas and entrained fines about the chamber, section than sald 1 ft plpe, the plpe termmated Intel-me. a mtlltlphelty of battles substahtlany equally diate the top and bottom of the vessel a cylindrical skirt tl'lbuted radially about the chamber Projected through baffie located in said vessel above said lift pipe, substanthe Well of the Chamber so as to define between each tially concentric with said vessel, the lower edge of said adlaeeht P of bafiles dlseharge Passeges from the skirt bathe terminated at a level near the upper end of e the Second Set of bafiies dlrectel the chamber the lift pipe, the horizontal cross-section of the bafiie being greater than the cross-section of the lift pipe, at least one a dlscharge p'flssageway attached to said chamber withdrawal conduit attached to the bottom of the vessel,

9 receive remaining gas fines without Substan' of the lift pipe, an annular chamber in said vessel above said annular passageway, the floor of the chamber, arranged substantially horizontal and possessing a multiplicity of substantially equally distributed radial slots, in-

and means for withdrawing separate streams of gas and 40 angle of about 10 to 20 semi-Pg vessel of circular hor.izm.ltal at the location where the outlet blade contacts the wall, a

receiving chamber defined by the top of said skirt bafile and the top of the vessel, communicating with said chamber through said vertical slots, the top of said vessel possessing an outlet which communicates with said receiving chamber, a discharge duct connected tangentially to the wall of said vessel, communicating with the inway defined by the skirt baflle and vertical wall of the vessel, the cross-section of the passageway being between 4 to 10 times greater than the cross-section of the lift pipe, an annular chamber in said vessel above said annu- References Cited in the file of this Patent lar passageway, means defining a multiplicity of radiallydirected slots in the floor of said chamber, substantially UNITED STATES PATENTS equally distributed about the chamber, a multiplicity of 1,825,708 Wagner Oct. 6, 1931 inlet blades, having their axes radiall -directed in the 2,328,240 Wiegand Aug. 31,1943 floor of the chamber, each blade being located between 2,419,097 Stratford et al Apr. 15, 1947 adjacent slots, the blades disposed at an angle of about 2,503,013 Watson Apr. 4, 1950 10 to 20 degrees with the horizontal, means defining a 2,561,409 Ardern July 24, 1951 multiplicity of substantially vertcal slots in the inner wall 

1. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING GRANULAR CONTACT MATERIAL, FINES AND LIFT GAS DISCHARGED AT A LEVEL SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE GROUND FROM THE TOP END OF AN UPWARDLY DIRECTED LIFT PIPE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A SETTLING VESSEL ATTACHED TO THE UPPER END OF THE LIFT PIPE, HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER CROSS-SECTION THAN SAID LIFT PIPE, THE PIPE TERMINATED INTERMEDIATE THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE VESSEL, BAFFLE MEANS LOCATED ABOVE SAID LIFT PIPE, SO AS TO DIRECT THE GRANULAR MATERIAL, FINES AND GAS IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION, MEANS DEFINING AT LEAST ONE OUTLET APERTURE IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE VESSEL, THROUGH WHICH GRANULAR MATERIAL CAN BE REMOVED, MEANS DEFINING AN UPWARDLY DIRECTED PASSAGEWAY IN SAID VESSEL, THE LOWER END OF THE 